789 series
The 789 series, branded HEAT 789 ('H'okkaido 'E'xpress 'A'dvanced 'T'rain), is a Japanese Limited Express electric multiple unit. Built from 2002 to 2011 in two distinct batches for JR Hokkaido, the 789 series is used on various Limited Express services around Hokkaido. History The 789 series was designed as a new type of Limited Express train. Jointly built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Tokyu Car Corporation, the first 40 cars, formed as four two-car half sets (HE101 – HE104) and five three-car half sets (HE201 – HE205), were delivered from 2002 and 2005; these entered service on 1 December 2002 on Super Hakuchō services on the Tsugaru-Kaikyō Line, and were coupled in five- or eight-car formations. New-build intermediate cars were inserted into the original two-car half sets in December 2005, while another set, HE105, was delivered; two more two-car sets, HE301 and HE302, were delivered around the same time. Seven more five-car sets were built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries and delivered in 2007 for a total of 35 cars; these were designated the 789-1000 series sets and were introduced on 1 October 2007 on the Super Kamui services. A total of 75 cars were built; 66 are currently in service and are based at Hakodate and Sapporo Depots depending on the variant. At the moment, 789-0 series sets HE301 and HE302 are currently stored out of service near Goryōkaku Station, but remain registered on the JR Hokkaido fleet roster. Design The 789 series adopted a modern design language for Limited Express trains, with the design lineage going back to the older KiHa 281 series sets. In terms of exterior design, the 789-0 and 789-1000 series sets exhibit a multitude of differences. 789-0 series sets have stainless steel bodies with yellow and green accents with the HEAT 789 logo stamped on the side, although the logos have since been removed. 789-1000 series sets have a gray paintscheme all around, with unpainted stainless steel bodies and gray, white and black accents. Another notable difference between both sets is their headlamps. While both the 789 series subvariants use the same basic design for their headlamps, the 789-0 series sets opts for smoother contours around the edges of the headlamps, whereas the 789-1000 series sets opts for sharper angles for its headlamps. Another notable difference is that the 789-1000 series sets lack gangway doors, while the 789-0 series sets have them. Specifications Construction is of stainless steel. End cars are 21.67 meters long while intermediate cars are 21.3 meters long. Both variants of the 789 series sets use insulated gate bipolar transistor variable frequency drives; older 789-0 series sets use Toshiba IGBT drives which produce a soft hissing sound, while later 789-0 series sets use Hitachi IGBT drives which produce a much louder sound. The 789-1000 series sets use Hitachi IGBT drives as well, which also produce a loud hissing sound, albeit of a slightly different pitch. Incidents On 29 January 2010, 789-1000 series set HL1005 collided into a dump truck at a grade crossing located on the Hakodate Main Line at around 12:20pm JST. The crossing gate alarm signals were apparently activated too late, but by the time it was activated, the damage was already done. The set was heavily damaged as a result and scrapped on 24 March 2011; the dump truck was completely destroyed as a result. 45 people were injured. According to the driver of the train, he could not hear the crossing signal alarm from inside the cab; this was most likely due to the weather conditions that day, being a snowstorm with wind speeds of about 4 to 5 miles an hour (6 to 8 kilometers an hour). As a result of this incident, later trains produced for JR Hokkaido have additional crash-proofing measures. References *Wikipedia.org Category:JR Group trains Category:Electric Trainsets Category:Kawasaki locomotives Category:Tokyu Car locomotives